Category: Special Needs

Exposure to alcohol. This may be the most vague and full-of-unknowns special need you’ll come across in the profiles of children waiting to be adopted. It includes a vast array of outcomes, sometimes including no effects at all. However, many parents jump to an extreme when they first read “alcohol exposure” — thinking, “This must mean they have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).” Or, families nearly skip over it — thinking, “It’s so common… it must not be a big deal.” An informed approach to adopting a child with alcohol exposure lies somewhere in the middle: informed by research, supported by other families’ experiences, and always with the best interests of the child as the deciding factor.

In March 2017, I visited this same orphanage to help prepare older children for adoption. Those children, both age 13, flipped through photo albums and letters to learn more about their adoptive families. One boy wasn’t yet matched with an adoptive family but looked over the shoulders of his friends as this happened. My heart broke for him and I returned from that trip determined to find a family for him. Continue reading “Charleson Needs a Family!”

Urgent! We need to find a family for Cole before we lose his release in early December 2018! Cole has malformations of his hands and feet and needs walking aids and therapy that are not available in his orphanage. He is a smart boy who has made improvements in his cognitive, social and language skills. Check out the video to see Cole in action!

This is not an overstatement: whether or not Cole will ever be able to walk may likely depend on whether a family chooses to adopt him.

Cole came into care shortly after birth and he has malformations of his hands and feet, which keep him from walking. His caregivers say it is unlikely that he will be able to walk unless he can receive walking aids and therapy that are not available at his orphanage. Cole needs a family that can provide for his medical needs. Continue reading “Urgent: Cole Needs a Family!”

Special needs. Older children. Single parent adoption. Kids with unknown medical needs. Just the good ol’ “let the agency choose” path. There are lots of adoption paths — and no “perfect” families — but whatever path you choose, your family will ultimately be the right family for a child who is waiting.

Once upon a time, there was the perfect adoptive family. The mom and dad — both pediatricians — decided to adopt a child with a few medical needs. Their neighbors, high school teachers with a trust fund and awards for their work with underprivileged youth, decided to adopt an older child. Then, their other neighbors, who have never once been afraid in their whole lives, adopted a child with some “unknowns” in his history.

There is a very special little girl in China waiting patiently for you to lift her up to the next step in her young life. But there is only so much an 11-year-old girl can do on her own. She needs the support, guidance and love only a family can provide. Continue reading “Carmen needs a family!”

Chase came into care when he was about 3 years old. He has Down syndrome and a heart murmur. He knows colors, can count from 1 to 19, can name his good friends and caregivers, and follows instructions well. He can even say a few words in English! Independent and polite, he can take care of his own personal needs and knows how to help out with chores. A $3,000 Special Blessings grant is available to help the right family bring him home.

Zak came into care when he was about 1 year old. He has Down syndrome, but is otherwise healthy. Zak can walk, run and jump. He can speak many words and makes good eye contact during conversation. His personality is described as warm, outgoing, active and optimistic. He gets along well with the other children and likes to be cuddled. He has good friends and a particular caregiver he is especially attached to. A $3,000 Special Blessings grant is available to help the right family bring Zak home.

Vera is very affectionate and loves to be held and cuddled. Her caregivers describe her as a gentle and easy baby. She was born prematurely at 34 weeks and is diagnosed with Down syndrome. Developmentally, she can crawl, pull to a stand, sit unassisted, grasp objects, understand simple instructions, respond to her name, and use simple gestures to communicate. She gets along well with her peers and enjoys when the older children hold her.

Colt is an active and affectionate little boy who came into care at approximately 2 months old. He is diagnosed with Down syndrome, an umbilical hernia and microcytic anemia. He has an easy smile and enjoys joking with his caregivers. He especially likes being cuddled, hugged and being held before bedtime. Despite some developmental delays, he is progressing; he sits unsupported, crawls, pulls to stand, throws a ball, knows his name, babbles and keeps good eye contact.

Teddy is a sweet little guy who loves to smile, most of the time (see video). He has Down syndrome and poor eyesight. He just turned 2 and is learning how to crawl, stand steadily and walk with one hand held. Continue reading “Teddy Needs a Family!”

Just like any other 2-year-old, Cormac is active and very interested in exploring the world and all that’s in it. He likes experiencing new things and will run from one place to the next, stopping only to pick up a rock to check it out.

He is a bit skeptical of cameras, and not very interested in smiling for them, and he seems to be shy with strangers. However, he does love his caregivers and likes to be held and cuddled.

Born prematurely, Cormac had an MRI in October 2017 that showed enlargement of his bilateral ventricles as well as periventricular leukomalacia, which may be due to his premature birth. He is also reported to have microcytic anemia.

In this stage of life, Cormac is learning lots of new things, like how to follow directions, tell jokes and identify different body parts.

This on-the-go toddler needs a family that is ready to help him learn even more things, has a good understanding of his medical needs and is comfortable with his developmental unknowns.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Colombia?

Is it Pablo Escobar or the drug cartels? If so, you aren’t alone. Colombia is a country with a brutal history. But there’s another side to Colombia — a side that is passionate, resilient and full of kids who embody these traits, and who are waiting for permanent, loving families to call their own.